The Other Evans Sister
by TheGrandTootah
Summary: AU. Pre-Hogwarts - DH. What if Harry had gotten that relative he had wished for in 'The Sorcerer's Stone'. How would Harry's life turn out differently if he had living family who truly loved him.
1. Prologue

At number 7 St. Germaine Street, Cokeworth, England the Evans family was gathered in the nursery. Mrs. Evans sat in a rocker cradling a yellow bundle. Her two daughters, Lily and Petunia, knelt on either side of her staring down at the mass.

"She's so tiny!" Lily observed as she rubbed the blonde babies fingers. "And wrinkly. Why is she so wrinkly?"

Petunia nudged her. "She's less than a week old. You were wrinkly, too." Petunia turned her attention to her father standing besides the chair. "What are going to call her?"

"Iris." Mr. Evans answered brightly. "You mother's adding another flower to her garden."

"Can I hold her, Mummy? Please?" Lily pleaded.

"Alright." Mrs. Evans chuckled. She adjusted the baby in the girls arm tenderly. "Careful now, dear. watch her head."

Lily and little Iris stared wide-eyed at each other for a brief pause. "Hello..." Lily whispered.

"You're _both _big sisters now." Mrs. Evans noted. "That means you both have to help watch over her just like Petunia helped watch over you."

Lily gazed solemnly at her mother "I promise." She uttered this promise as if she had been handed one of the most important tasks in all of Britain. And in a way, she had. Petunia echoed her before cooing over the baby.

Mr. Evans laughed and patted their heads.

Soon it was Petunia's turn to hold the baby and Lily continued to question her mother.

This day they were the perfect family. This day they were at their happiest.

This would change all too soon.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and WB. I own nothing but my OC._**

**A/N: This is my first HP fanfic so I'm a little nervous. I apologize in advanced for any errors you may find. I was pretty tired when this was edited so criticism is appreciated. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Edit 9/15/13: Typo with name fixed.**

* * *

_Rain clouds hung _over Privet Drive. Most of the guests at number four had retreated inside as the clouds had darkened overhead but some still milled around the back door in dark suits and dresses, ready to make a quick entrance if it began to pour. The kitchen window of the cookie-cutter home was cracked open spilling noise out into the garden; voices droning together over the clanging and clacking of dishes. Towards the back of the garden, along the wooden fence, a pair of Mary Janes peeked out of the hydrangeas. Iris Evans laid in a carefully cleared spot beneath the bushes and absently picked at the leaves, a scowl permanently fixed on her face.

Just weeks after her ninth birthday her parents had been cruelly ripped from her in a recent Death Eater attack. She had been staying with a friend during the end of the summer holidays when it had happened. Iris didn't completely understand what was going on. Only that bad wizards from Lily's world were hurting people for not being magical and the wizard police were having trouble catching them. Now those wizards had taken away her Mummy and Daddy. She could still feel the large cold stone of shock the had landed in her belly when Lily had come to collect her the next afternoon. She had wailed until her voice cracked and hadn't spoken since.

While Lily had been consoled by her husband, James, it was Mrs. Potter, his mother, who had tried to comfort the little girl. She had lost her husband two years prior to the Death Eaters and didn't have to imagine how horrible it was for a little girl to be put in her shoes. Iris had stayed glued to her side during her brief stay at the Potter's home.

Tear tracks dried along her cheeks and she slowly wiped her runny nose with the collar of her dark blue dress.

"Iris?" A male voice called out, followed by the crunch of grass.

Iris pulled her feet into the bush and hugged her knees as James crossed the garden. She secretly hoped he would pass her by but knew he had already spotted her movement. She said nothing as a pair of shiny black dress shoes entered her sight. A large, calloused hand reached in the bushes and wiggled it's fingers at her. She paused in a moment of defiance before gently grasping the hand and allowing him to pull her out. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground as the young man plucked leaves out of her wheaten curls. He was bent over at her level, head hanging just above hers.

"Lily wanted to see you before we left." James told the girl softly, squatting down to a more comfortable position. "Don't you want say goodbye?"

Iris shook her head, sullen.

"Why not?"

Iris shook off his hand as he gently pulled at her wrist. She continued to stare at the ground as she spoke.

"Why can't I stay with you and Lily?" her question was uttered in the softest of whispers. Her throat a little phlegmy from crying and disuse.

"Aw, kiddo." James chucked her chin. "It's not safe with us right now. You know that."

Iris sniffled and picked at her skirt while James rubbed her arms.

The back door sounded and the pair looked to see Lily Potter, nee Evans exiting the house. The older girls eyes were red rimmed and puffy. Her arms hugged her body, as if she were to let go she'd fall apart. Iris took one look at her before she started balling and running to her sister. Her sobs were muffled as she slammed into Lily's legs and held tightly to her waist, head buried in her stomach. Lily brushed her hands through the child's hair and gave a pained look to her husband before picking her younger sister up, resting her on her hip. Iris immediately wrapped her arms around Lily's neck and met her gaze.

"I don't want to live with Tuney and Vernon!" she cried. "I want to go with you!"

Lily wiped at the girls face. "I know, baby." Was all she could say. She clutched her close and rocked her, tears falling into her baby sisters hair.

The trio head back inside the house. Petunia stared from her position in the living room besides her portly husband, Vernon Dursley. Lily stared into her elder sisters eyes and a hush fell upon the room as eyes sat watching the interaction. Petunia simply glared back with suspiciously pink eyes.

Sighing, Lily set the youngest sibling back on the ground and rubbed her cheek. "Don't cry, sweetie. I'll see you soon. We'll spend Halloween together."

Vernon sneered at that.

Iris nodded and gave her sister one last hug. James ruffled her hair, still messy from her stint in the garden.

"Petunia." Lily said lightly, picking up her purse. "Vernon."

The older couple nodded and watched as Lily and James headed for the door. Iris looked through the front curtains as they stepped down the walk and waved back at them as they got into Lily's car. When the car pulled off the curb Iris couldn't stop herself from propelling out the front door, ignoring Petunia's protests and running out into the road. She ran a short ways before stopping to watch the car round the corner. She stood panting, not able to look away as Petunia's heels quickly sounded towards her over the asphalt. She felt her eldest sister run a hand gently down the back of her hair and settle it on her shoulder.

"It'll be alright, you'll see." Petunia tried to reassure. "Back in the house now."

Iris allowed Petunia to guide her back up the walkway, feet trudging dejectedly after her. The rest of the afternoon was spent with her sitting dejectedly in a cushy armchair. She listened as the adults went on and on about how lovely the Evans's service was. How it was such a shame and it was so brave of Petunia to undertake raising her sister at such a young age. When the last of the guests had left and Iris was finally able to make an escape to her room, she was up like a shot. She vaguely heard Vernon grumble after her.

Iris managed to sleep for sleep from late afternoon until the wee hours of the morning when Vernon left for work. The tears returned, and even though she did her best to muffle her crying, Petunia apparently heard and let herself into the dark bedroom. There eyes met for a spell, Petunia's own eyes welling up before curling up besides the child.

The rest of the day was spent lazing about the living room watching television and eating left-over dishes from the previous day.

While Iris absolutely loved Lily and lived for when she came home, she was closer to Petunia. The two eldest sisters were at odds for as long as Iris could remember. Petunia could become so hurtful and just plain awful towards Lily at times. Iris could never understand how Petunia could be so sweet one moment and later send Lily into fits of anger and tears that would have her running down the street to that Snape boy, and eventually James. Despite this, it seemed the sisters were at a truce when it came to the youngest.

When Iris was three the Evans girls experienced a blow when their mother lost a baby (a little boy). Mrs. Evans had been inconsolably distraught. In a period of days she become very depressed and wouldn't leave her room for months. Even then it took her a few years before she recovered emotionally. Mr. Evans had said she was 'going through the change of life'. It had fallen to fifteen year old Petunia to help her father raise the youngest girl for the next three years.

While it was true Lily was the witch in the family, Petunia had her own magic. She could turn sad days around with her 'Sunshine' cake. It had been dubbed so after their father had taken a bite and proclaimed it tasted '-just like sunshine, Tuney!'

It was a lemon pastry with strawberry icing and green sprinkles. As silly and mismatched as it was, it sure hit the sweet tooth.

Petunia could turn sick days into epic adventures just by reading a book. With just the sound of her voice, echoing the emotions of the stories, Iris would be transported. She could close her eyes as Petunia's voice floated over her. Seeing the story unfold before her eyes as if she were there. Vivid imagery that had inspired the little girl's voracious reading. Even Lily during her holidays home would pause in the doorway, captivated and a little forlorn by the fervor in the eldest sisters words.

Petunia had wanted to be a writer when she was younger and encouraged Iris when she had shown an interest in story-telling. For her seventh birthday Iris had received a thick parchment journal that depicted a starry sky to fill with her own stories. Petunia had scrawled a lovely note in the cover letting her know she would look forward to hearing them all. The journal had quickly been filled to the inside of the back cover and now sat with three others in the bottom of her suitcase beside her door.

Alas, it seemed not even Petunia's special brand of magic could save them now but it did ease the pain somewhat.

The rest of the summer went along with the same hollow stillness. When fall came Iris attended the local primary school in Little Whinging and retreated back into her journals, keeping mostly to herself. Lily would call twice a week to ask her how she was. The phone calls always ending with a promise to see each other on Halloween.

Yet when Halloween arrived plans had changed. Lily had told her that it was becoming more dangerous in the wizarding world and she had to work. Iris didn't know exactly what it was Lily did, but supposed whatever was involved the wizard police. Instead, Lily sent along a care package with plenty of sweets. Sadly none of them were the magical kind she had been promised. Lily said she could get into trouble for sending them to muggles through the post.

It also seemed the more time that passed, the more Petunia seemed to change. She was acting so more 'grown up' and talked more of the stupid boring things _Vernon_ liked. It wasn't enough to say Iris dislike Vernon, yet she didn't _hate _him either. Vernon was irritatingly snobbish to the extreme. He could go on and on about other peoples failings and not seem to notice any of his own. He was so dull! Rattling on about how golfing or work or his boss, Mr 'So and So' said this. He was so different than _her _Petunia. Iris couldn't see why her sister would find the man appealing. Under the her sister's watchful eye, Tuney transformed into Vernon Dursley's 'Pet'.

By Christmas Petunia was expecting her first child. This seemed to complete her transition into the perfect suburban housewife. Mrs. Petunia Dursley schmoozed at the Polkiss's Christmas party with the best of them, rubbing elbows with other snobby young wives of the neighborhood. Laughing at cheesy jokes, giving false compliments, and doing her fair share of discreet boasting. For Iris it was like watching a stranger. Like a bad copy had slowly been shoved in her place and now had completely shoved her aside. It made Iris sick to her stomach.

As even more time passed it got worse. She no longer had time for silly stories. Sunshine cake was garish and bad for Iris's teeth. Silence was sulking and how did Iris ever expect to make any friends by behaving such a way.

Iris found her only solace besides her journal was word from Lily. Unfortunately even that would change. Word became less and less frequent. Phone calls only came monthly and eventually tuned into letters.

On the 23 of May, in the year 1980 Iris Evans turned ten.

On the thirtieth of June, Dudley Dursley was born.

Dudley was a very fussy baby and Petunia absolutely coddled him. Vernon was over the moon and strutted for weeks.

Towards the second week of August a letter came for both Iris and Petunia. Lily had given to a little boy, Harry James, on July thirty-first. Petunia had gone dead quiet at the news and promptly threw the letter and picture enclosed into the trash bin. Iris secreted hers away into a keepsake box.

Iris left primary school a year early and due to her grades was given a invitation to a school focusing on the arts. The Dursley's accepted it with much pomp and circumstance,

"It's due to having a firm, proper influence." Vernon had stated smugly. "None of that silly mumbo-jumbo. Never would of gotten this far _that other one_."

Letters from Lily came with greater distance between the last. Once a week became twice a month, then once a month, and so on. Iris received a few more photos before the letters stopped altogether.

Finally, on the morning of the first of November, 1981, after nearly four months with no news a letter would finally arrive. The last letter. Except this one wasn't from Lily. This letter was from a Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and good friend to the Potters. And with this letter, came a baby.

Iris had awoken to her sisters shrill shriek and the wail of a strange baby. Vernon had rushed down the stairs with a cricket bat in one hand and a wailing Dudley in the other. Iris rushed down after him and her eyes widened at the sight. Petunia stood clutching an unopened letter and staring down at a wriggling mass crying on the doorstep.

The next few hours were spent with Petunia and Vernon arguing loudly in the kitchen over what to do with the orphaned Harry Potter. Iris sat shaking beside Dudley's playpen as the words sunk into her.

Lily was gone.

Lily was dead.

She couldn't quite process it. She read the words of the forgotten open letter that had been dropped to the floor.

Lily was gone.

An evil wizard had murdered her and James only to die trying to kill Harry as well.

Lily was dead.

She was far to shocked to cry. It didn't feel real. It couldn't be real. Not after...

She barely registered the words spilling out of the kitchen.

"...won't have it in my house Petunia!"

"...in the street! The neighbors!"

"...orphanage-!"

"Vernon!"

Iris's temper flared and she glared at the kitchen door. The letter crumpled in her fist. She hated that man. He was despicable. She truly hated him.

"..protection. When he's old enough..."

A whimper from the playpen captured the eleven year olds attention. Little Harry was sitting up and staring at her with tears falling down his cheeks. An angry red scar on his forehead, almost in the shape of a lightning bolt, stood out against his pale face. Her heart clenched and the anger was quickly forgotten. The noise from the kitchen was upsetting him. He had just watched his mother die and nearly died himself. He was traumatized. Dudley, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered and was content to continue snoozing.

"Mama..." Harry cried.

Iris felt her stomach drop. Harry was looking for Lily. He didn't understand what had happened. Iris reached over and pulled Harry into her arms. He wasn't as heavy as Dudley fortunately, so it was easier to balance him. He clutched a hand to the collar of her night shirt and Iris kissed his forehead where his scar rested.

"It'll be alright, Harry." She whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Together they sat in the dark, both lonely little orphans with scars on there hearts. But although they had lost much, now they had each other. Unbeknownst to them, that would be worth more than they could ever realize in the coming years.


End file.
